“Yes.”

“What were the other residents doing?”

“I don’t know. We went as soon as we had finished the meal.”

“When you got there, the door was unlocked?”

“Yes. I was surprised. It’s become a habit for us to keep it locked. In the summer we get a lot of trippers on the island. They’re not supposed to go to the north end, but they do, and once some kids tried to camp in it.”

“How many keys are there?”

“Two. Charlie had one and the observatory the other.”

“We found the key to fit the hide padlock in Mr. Todd’s pocket. Where was the other kept?”

“It was kept in the bird room, so that anyone could get it when they wanted.”

“Did you notice if it was missing this morning?”

“I didn’t come in here this morning, except to get the key. That was immediately after breakfast. It was here then. But if Charlie was in the hide, he would have left the door open. It’s impossible to lock from inside. Anyone could have got in then.”

“So they could, but it’s a possibility that the murderer was there first. I understand that you can identify the nylon rope used to strangle Mr. Todd?”

“Yes. It’s a mist-net guy. A mist net is a fine net used for trapping birds. It has shelves in it, where the birds are caught. The poles are held steady by guys. Nick told me last night that one of the guys was missing. Most observatories store the guys separately but it’s a tradition here to keep them in the mist-net bag.”

“How did he know that the guy was missing?”

“He and Mark went out last night, ringing waders. One of the nets had been messily replaced in its bag, and the guy wasn’t there.”

“When was that particular net last used?”

“Goodness knows. It could have been weeks ago. We don’t do a lot of mist netting, and we’ve several nets.”

Superintendent Savage smiled, and suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed. Both men relaxed. The policeman’s attention was no longer focused solely and intensely on John. John felt exhausted, as if he had completed an important exam. It had been a peculiar experience, exhilarating, almost flattering to sustain the attention of another person for such a long period.

“Thank you,” the superintendent said, standing up, holding out his hand. “Thank you. I hope that everyone is as helpful.”

Connibear was surprised when Savage asked him to fetch George Palmer-Jones.

“But sir, he wasn’t here. We saw him walking over when we were driving across.”

“I know what I’m doing, lad. Ask him to come in please. And be polite about it, will you?”

Connibear was polite, and if Palmer-Jones was surprised that he was the next to be interviewed, he did not show it.

When the two men entered the bird room Savage stood up quickly, formally.

“Good morning, Mr. Palmer-Jones,” he said. “ Very pleased to meet you again, sir.”